Sugar and Salt
by dickard23
Summary: Ty Lee and Azula were always drawn to each other. Before they knew it was love, they just called it friendship. Before they were wives, they saw each other as sisters. Family doesn't have to mean blood relation. Sometimes, the people you choose to call family are the ones who really matter.
1. Chapter 1

Ozai and Ty Lee's father were associates. Since their daughters were close in age, they decided to see if a friendship would form.

The eager man brought each of his seven daughters to the palace, hoping that at least one of them would gain approval of Ozai and Princess Azula.

Getting them into the carriage was a hassle. They kept fighting over toys, shoving each other. One of the sisters got bitten, and the other six all denied doing it, but eventually, he got his seven daughters into the palace.

"Now sit in a row and behave!" he warned sternly.

Ozai came in first. "They are all wearing the same dress," he pointed out, each girl was in pink.

"Their mother bought them."

"How do you tell them apart?"

"Um, I don't very well," he admitted.

"Strange."

Ozai could not discern them either. "Let's see what Azula thinks."

Azula came into the room.

One girl was out right away. She was picking her nose.

"Not her," Azula said, and the girl was removed from the running.

She stared down the other six.

One girl trembled too much. One girl looked like she was doing the pee pee dance.

One had a fake smile; it reminded the princess of her mother. She's out.

There were only three left.

Azula wasn't sure why, but she kept looking to the girl on the far right. She was different, yet they were all the same. It made no sense.

"What is your name?"

"Ty Lee."

"I pick this one father."

The girl happily hugged her.

Azula was not used to such affection.

Ozai's face twisted. He was sure Azula would burn her.. She forcibly pried herself away, but she didn't burn her.

"Oh thank you so much Princess!"

"My name is Azula."

"Thanks Azula."

Ty Lee had a genuine smile. Something about Azula's gold menacing eyes was enticing.

The two girls went off to play. Ty Lee liked Azula's dolls. Azula did not.

"How come this one has no head?"

"I cut it off. Its head was ugly," Azula told her.

"I've never seen an ugly doll before."

"I get plenty of ugly dolls," ugly dolls from ugly men.

"This doll is pretty," Ty Lee said. "It looks like you."

Azula frowned at that remark. "Then I should dispose of it."

"Can I keep it?"

"If you want."

Ty Lee hugged her again.

Azula would have to get her out of this habit. She was a firebender, not a hugger.

Ty Lee was sweet like sugar. Azula was like too much salt in the mouth. Somehow, the future acrobat liked it.


	2. Chapter 2

**92AG**

Zuko had a play date. In just a couple of hours, young sons of noblemen would be coming to the palace giving Zuko a chance to run around outside with boys his own age while their fathers talked politics.

Even though she was only seven, Azula knew that her mother treated Zuko better than she treated her. When Zuko had play dates, she would make food just for him and his friends, a mother's touch. When Azula's friends came over, they would get kitchen food, like it was a normal occurrence. Only Zuko's friends were special.

Even worse, when Ozai or Iroh had company, Azula was expected to entertain them: to play cute stupid songs on the piano or offer some dance from her ballet lesson. She didn't even get to show off her fire bending, the one art she actually cared about.

Zuko would get praised for his firebending, no matter how bad he was at it. All Azula wanted was her mom to recognize her too. It just wasn't fair. So, it this wasn't going to be fair, Azula wouldn't play fair either.

Ty Lee came over to play, not that Ursa had remembered.

"Hey Ty, want to help me prank my brother."

"Sure!" Ty Lee wanted to help Azula do anything. She was a Princess who had her own room and servants, and she was a prodigy. Ty Lee had so many sisters; it felt like she had none. They all forgot about her. Who could keep track with seven girls in and out of two different bedrooms all the time? Azula was what Ty Lee got to keep for herself. None of her sisters got invited to the palace. If they didn't care to notice her, then Azula would be her sister instead.

They snuck into the kitchen and Ty Lee got a cup. They used it to put the sugar in the salt box and the salt and in the sugar box. They put the boxes back and left.

"Why is this funny?" Ty Lee asked.

"You'll see Ty."

Ursa made fire flakes, Zuko's favorite snack. They're like cinnamon flavored funnel cakes.

Ursa whistled while she worked. It was a tune she used to hear from Love Amongst the Dragons. It reminded her of her true love, Ikem. Zuko was Ozai's, but he reminded her of Ikem. She wished he had been his and they could have all left together. Instead, she just had this tune.

She got the fryer on and poured the batter into it. She made the fire flakes one at a time and when she was done, she coated them in cinnamon-sugar and sent the servant to get Zuko. The young prince came running in. The two boys behind him where Chan and Ruon Jian. It was their first time, and their last time, at the palace. They wouldn't even remember this moment when they saw Zuko again.

"Eat up boys!" Ursa said proudly.

Each boy grabbed a cake, even though they were hot and shoved them into their mouths. Before they could even chew, the level of salt was overpowering. Chan spit his out. "That was freaking nasty!" he yelled.

Ursa gasped. Everyone loves her fire flakes.

Ruon Jian was more polite, but he had the same opinion. "I must say that was dreadful."

Zuko teared up it was so bad. "It's way too salty!"

Ursa took a bite just to spit it out. It was upsetting. Princesses did not spit out food, especially not in front of guests, but it was too vile to swallow.

"Did you mix the sugar and the salt?" Ruon Jian questioned. She must have. How did she make such a stupid mistake?

* * *

><p>Azula and Ty Lee watched and laughed loudly from outside. "Did you see the look on Zuzu's face?" Azula said proudly.<p>

"I think Chan had the best reaction," Ty Lee giggled.

The two girls stayed outside. No one had remembered the play date, so Ursa hadn't even thought to question the two girls about the fire flakes.

Ursa may forget about her daughter. Ty Lee's parents may forget her too, but they were sisters. They didn't need anyone else.


End file.
